Senior Congress leader Cherian Philip has launched a scathing attack on the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in Kerala, accusing it of misusing public funds for a politically motivated door-to-door survey. The allegations come in the wake of the ruling coalition's recent setbacks in the local body elections.
A Rs 20 Crore 'Political Campaign' Funded by the State?
In a strongly worded statement, Philip claimed the state government is spending a massive Rs 20 crore on the 'Nava Kerala' survey, which he asserts is merely a political campaign tool for the CPI(M) targeting the upcoming assembly elections. He alleged that the survey is not an objective exercise but a public outreach programme for the CPI(M), which is being conducted at the government's expense.
"CPM's local units selected a volunteer force of 85,000 people to conduct this survey," Philip stated, highlighting the party's direct involvement. He further accused the government of distributing leaflets that exaggerate its developmental achievements to every household, framing the entire initiative as propaganda.
An Indictment of 'Developmental Collapse'
Philip argued that a genuine survey would reveal the true state of affairs in Kerala. He claimed announcements like 'extreme poverty-free Kerala' and 'complete digital literacy' are based on fake reports. The Congress leader presented a grim picture of the state's condition across multiple sectors.
He accused the second Pinarayi Vijayan-led government of burying flagship missions that were part of the LDF's New Kerala initiative, including LIFE, Aardram, Haritha Keralam, and Rebuild Kerala. Despite high-profile events like the World Kerala Assembly and Global Investment Summit, he stated that industrial investments have not moved beyond memorandums of understanding.
Philip listed several areas of concern:
- Agriculture: The state is in reverse gear in terms of production and productivity.
- Education & Health: A severe collapse in standards is causing student migration, and dilapidated government hospitals are forcing people towards exploitative private healthcare.
- Key Sectors: The once-promising IT and tourism sectors have collapsed.
- Public Debt: Despite Kerala's accumulated public debt reaching a staggering Rs 5 lakh crore, there are no notable development projects to show for it.
White Elephants and Failed Projects
The criticism extended to specific government projects. Philip labelled the K-Rail semi-high-speed rail project a "promotional scam." He also claimed that the K-FON internet initiative is unusable in most places and that a majority of public sector enterprises are incurring massive losses.
He saved sharp criticism for the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB), identified by the government for financial mobilization, calling it a "white elephant." These allegations paint a picture of financial mismanagement and unfulfilled promises, which the Congress leader is using to challenge the legitimacy of the government's survey and its developmental narrative.
The accusations set the stage for a heated political battle in Kerala, with the Congress positioning the Nava Kerala survey as a misuse of power and state resources for electoral gain by the ruling CPI(M).
